Maharashtra scam: BJP MP also got licenses against the rules

Mumbai: In a new twist to all the drama over the Maharashtra irrigation scam, which has already seen the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, CNN-IBN has accessed letters that show that BJP President Nitin Gadkari's aide Ajay Sancheti also got licences against the rules.

Ajit Pawar as the President of the Vidharbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) had issued a circular allowing more than three contracts per contractor. The move benefitted Ajay Sancheti who is also a BJP MP.

Ajit Sancheti, one of Gadkari's aides also benefitted from the scam: Reuters

The name of Sancheti's company was changed to SMS Infrastructure in 2005. According to information available with the channel, Sancheti broke the company registrar's rules, by seeking and getting licences for both of his companies from VIDC in 2007.

He then went on to form a Joint Venture with D&SN Thakkars and secured contracts worth Rs 156 crore.

However, Sancheti told CNN-IBN, "All these are baseless allegations. This is nothing but an attempt to malign Nitin Gadkari. I didn't break any law. The company's name was changed as per established guidelines. I was only getting payments for a while in my earlier companies name as state permissions for company name changes take a while."